There’s a new superhero in town! Or perhaps a collection of superheroes ready to audition. On February 9th and 10th Powell High School’s drama club is putting on a production of “Superheroes Unite.”
“[The play] is called ‘Superheroes, Unite,’” junior Jenessa Polson said. “Nova City is plagued by an evil villain, Colonel Mustard. The city officials decide to find a patron superhero who will battle and defeat this evil enemy. But how does one find a superhero? By holding an audition!”
The play is a family-friendly comedy achieved through the talents and dedication of PHS students.
“The best way I could describe it is it’s slapstick comedy,” junior Brenna Henderson said. “It appeals to just about every audience because we are also doing it for little kids as well. The little kids won’t get some of the jokes made, but it’s still funny. I would say it’s great for a wide audience.”
With the help of the directors, Jeff and Christi Graham and Kristin Cuddy the cast came together to create the illusion of a town in need of a superhero.
“The deputy mayor, the mayor, the police commissioner, and his assistant decide to hold auditions to see what this group of superheroes can do, and which one is going to be the new main superhero of the city,” senior Joe Bucher said. “While all of this is going down, the evil Colonel Mustard is plotting to take over the city.”
The cast has several performances including performing for the elementary students on February 8th.
“We are performing for the elementary schools on Thursday the 8th at 1 o’clock and the 9th at 9:30,” sophomore Norah Startin said. “Our actual production for the public is the 9th and 10th of February.”
Due to the family-friendly theme of Superheroes Unite, the play is expected to be enjoyed by elementary school students. In addition to the amusing humor, the play has a meaningful lesson that can be taken away.
“It’s your cliche, bad guy versus good guys,” Henderson said. “The superheroes are supposed to be pitted against each other, but I can’t say anymore because that’s going to be a spoiler alert. But overall they have to work together to defeat the bad guy, so that’s the main point. That’s why it is good for little kids because it can teach you a lesson.”
These students have been hard at work ever since Christmas break. They were informed of their characters, given scripts, and each diligently learned their lines to be ready for rehearsal in January.
“We started casting just before Christmas,” Bucher said. “We got the cast list up and everybody had scripts by the time we left for Christmas break. We had rehearsals a couple of times before Christmas break, and then when we got back this semester we kind of just hit the ground running with rehearsal every day after school.
The cast has an opportunity to perform the play a few times. These additional productions can cause added stress to those participating.
“In my time in drama, we have never done four shows of one play,” Polson said. “Usually we do two. I think that most of us are a little nervous because every performance is different. We want to be able to make it fun for the audience without having something go drastically wrong.”
Upperclassmen have gotten the chance to step into a role as a mentor in preparation for this year’s play. They can guide the newcomers and help them improve their acting skills and experience in every way possible.
“We built those relationships,” Henderson said. “And not just me. Everyone else has built those relationships and that security around the drama club where we do not criticize them, but when we give them those pointers, it doesn’t come off as rude. It comes off as we’re trying to make you a better actor.”
Behind the scenes, there is much more preparation than what is visible to the audience. Participation in theater comes with additional responsibilities and hard work.
“People don’t realize how much goes into drama,” Bucher said. “When they come, they think you learn some lines, get on stage and everything is hunky dory. But there is so much work and so much more that goes into it which can be a little daunting.”
Despite the stress and requirements, the cast has been able to come together and put together an entertaining show that will be enjoyed by all.
“The cast is so amazing,” Startin said. “They are literally some of my favorite people on the planet and I love every moment I spend in drama. We are all able to work together despite not knowing some as well as others. I’m so happy everyone who auditioned, auditioned.”
